The Red Sox are looking into Aceves, who was shut down by the Yankees May 8 after hurting his back. Aceves is 14-1 in his career, including 10-1 in 2009 with the Yankees. He was 3-0 last season until his back injury flared up. He would be an injury rehab project but is working out and could provide protection in the bullpen or as a starter.

Check out the full notebook. Cafardo has an item about Andy Pettitte, mentions A.J. Burnett as one of the players most needing to step up this season and once again connects the Yankees to Kevin Millwood.

As for Aceves, the Yankees non-tendered him this winter after a pair of injuries: A lower-back problem that kept flaring up during the season, and a broken left clavicle suffered this offseason in Mexico.

Brian Cashman said early this offseason that the Yankees would like to bring Aceves back on a minor league deal, but that back problem seems to make it difficult to count on him this season and beyond.